Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2014 


https://archive.org/details/fromupanishadsOOjohn 


I 


from  tf t  l\¥&nx*Q*b* 


Wilt  thou  not  ope  thy  heart  to  know 

What  rainbows  teach,  and  sunsets  show? 

Verdict  which  accumulates 

From  lengthening  scroll  of  human  fates, 

Voice  of  earth  to  earth  returned, 

Prayers  of  saints  that  inly  burned, — 

Saying,  What  is  excellent, 

As  God  lives,  is  permanent; 

Hearts  are  dust,  Hearts'  loves  remain; 

Heart's  love  will  meet  thee  again. 

House  and  tenant  go  to  ground, 
Lost  in  God,  in  Godhead  found. 

R.  W.  EMERSON. 


FROM  THE  UPANT  SHADS 
BY 

CHARLES  JOHNSTON 


Portland.  Maine 
THOMAS  »  VMOSHEI^, 

1899 


Copyright 
Thomas  rB.  CMosher 
1897 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

FOREWORD  ix 

TO  G.  W.  RUSSELL     .         .         .  xvii 

FROM  THE  UPANISHADS: 
I 

IN    THE    HOUSE    OF  DEATH 

[Katha  Upanishad]        .       .  5 
11 

A    VEDIC  MASTER 

[Prashna  Upanishad]     .       .  29 
in 

THAT    THOU  ART 

\Chhandogya  Upanishad,  VI]  45 


FOREWORD 


When  the  scanty  shores  are  full 
With  Thought's  perilous,  whirling  pool ; 
When  frail  Nature  can  no  more, 
Then  the  Spirit  strikes  the  hour : 
My  servant  Death,  with  solving  rite, 
Pours  finite  into  infinite. 


R.  W.  EMERSON. 


FOREWORD. 


T  is  admitted,  by  common 
consent,  that  the  works  of 
Emerson  stand  at  the  head 
of  American  literature.  The  cause  of 
their  pre-eminence,  it  might  well  be 
added,  is  the  rebirth,  in  them,  of  the 
thoughts  and  ideals  of  the  most 
ancient  Upanishads.  Emerson  him- 
self was  perfectly  aware  of  this  affinity ; 
he  found  no  fitter  illustration  of  his 
understanding  of  immortality  than 
the  teaching  of  Death,  with  which 
I  have  begun  this  volume.  His  words 
may  well  be  repeated : 

"Within  every  man's  thought  is  a 
higher  thought ;  within  the  character 
he  exhibits  to-day,  a  higher  character. 
The  youth  puts  off  the  illusions  of  the 
child ;  the  man  puts  off  the  ignorance 
and  tumultuous  passions  of  youth ; 
proceeding  thence,  puts  off  the  ego- 
tism of  manhood,  and  becomes  at 
last  a  public  and  universal  soul.  He 
is  rising  to  greater  heights,  but  also 
rising  to  realities ;  the  other  relations 

ix 


Foreword  and  circumstances  dying  out,  he  en- 
tering deeper  into  God,  God  into  him, 
until  the  last  garment  of  egotism  falls, 
and  he  is  with  God;  shares  the  will 
and  immensity  of  the  First  Cause.  It 
is  curious  to  find  the  selfsame  feeling, 
that  it  is  not  immortality  but  eternity, 
not  duration  but  a  state  of  abandon- 
ment to  the  Highest,  and  so  the  shar- 
ing of  His  perfection,  appearing  in  the 
farthest  east  and  west.  The  human 
mind  takes  no  account  of  geography, 
language,  or  legends,  but  in  all  utters 
the  same  instinct.  Yama,  the  lord  of 
Death,  promised  Nachiketas,  the  son 
of  Gautama,  to  grant  him  three  boons 
at  his  own  choice"  —  and  then  fol- 
lows the  teaching,  as  I  have  given  it. 

The  central  thought,  and  almost 
the  very  words  of  the  second  Upan- 
ishad  here  translated,  concerning  the 
worlds,  and  their  putting  forth  by  the 
Divine,  are  faithfully  imaged  in  an- 
other of  Emerson's  essays : 

"But  when,  following  the  invisible 
steps  of  thought,  we  come  to  enquire, 
whence  is  matter?  and  whereto? 
many  truths  arise  out  of  the  recesses 
of  consciousness.  We  learn  that  the 
highest  is  present  to  the  soul  of  man ; 


x 


that  the  dread  universal  essence,  which  Foreword 
is  not  wisdom,  or  love,  or  beauty,  or 
power,  but  all  in  one,  and  each  en- 
tirely, is  that  for  which  all  things  exist, 
and  that  by  which  they  are;  that 
spirit  creates;  that  behind  nature, 
throughout  nature,  spirit  is  present. 
As  a  plant  upon  the  earth,  so  a  man 
rests  upon  the  bosom  of  God;  he  is 
nourished  by  unfailing  fountains,  and 
draws,  at  his  need,  inexhaustible 
power." 

To  cite  all  the  passages  in  which 
Emerson  bears  testimony  to  the  truth 
contained  in  the  third  passage  I  have 
rendered :  that  the  soul  of  man  is  one 
with  the  immemorial  Soul  that  wove 
the  worlds,  would  be,  to  repeat  the 
greater  part  of  what  he  has  written ;  for 
this,  more  than  anything  else,  is  the 
heart  of  his  message.  One  passage, 
out  of  many,  will  be  enough : 

"The  soul  gives  itself,  alone  orig- 
inal and  pure,  to  the  Lonely,  Original 
and  Pure,  who,  on  that  condition, 
gladly  inhabits,  leads,  and  speaks 
through  it.  Then  it  is  glad,  young, 
and  nimble.  Behold,  it  saith,  I  am 
born  into  the  great,  the  universal  mind. 
I,  the  imperfect,  adore  my  own  per- 

xi 


feet.  I  am  somehow  recipient  of  the 
great  soul,  and  thereby  I  do  overlook 
the  sun  and  the  stars,  and  feel  them  to 
be  the  fair  accidents  and  effects  which 
change  and  pass.  More  and  more  the 
surges  of  everlasting  nature  enter  into 
me,  and  I  become  public  and  human 
in  my  regards  and  actions.  So  I  come 
to  live  in  thoughts,  and  act  with  ener- 
gies, which  are  immortal." 

Let  me  add,  to  these  three,  one 
more  passage,  which  shows  the  same 
primeval  power,  that  gave  birth  to 
the  imagery  of  ancient  wisdom,  once 
more  actively  creative ;  a  passage, 
more  eloquent,  perhaps,  than  all  else 
that  Emerson  has  written : 

"There  is  no  chance,  and  no  anar- 
chy, in  the  universe.  All  is  system  and 
gradation.  Every  god  is  there,  sitting 
in  his  sphere.  The  young  mortal 
enters  the  hall  of  the  firmament; 
there,  he  is  alone  with  them  alone ; 
they  pouring  on  him  benedictions  and 
gifts,  and  beckoning  him  up  to  their 
thrones.  On  the  instant,  and  inces- 
santly, fall  snow-storms  of  illusions. 
He  fancies  himself  in  a  vast  crowd 
which  sways  this  way  and  that,  and 
whose   movements   and    doings  he 


xii 


must  obey;  he  fancies  himself  poor,  Foreword 
orphaned,  insignificant.  The  mad 
crowd  drives  hither  and  thither,  now 
furiously  commanding  this  thing  to 
be  done,  now  that.  What  is  he  that 
he  should  resist  their  will,  and  think 
or  act  for  himself?  Every  moment 
new  changes  and  new  showers  of  de- 
ceptions to  baffle  and  distract  him. 
And  when  by  and  by,  for  an  instant, 
the  air  clears,  and  the  cloud  lifts  a 
little,  there  are  the  gods  still  sitting 
around  him  on  their  thrones;  they 
alone,  with  him  alone." 

C.  J. 


TO  G.  W.  RUSSELL 


TO  G.  W.  RUSSELL 


he  brown  and  yellow  of 
autumn  are  touching  the 
chestnut-leaves  again  for 


the  tenth  time  since  those  early  days 
when  we  first  began  to  seek  the  small 
old  path  the  seers  know. 

On  such  a  day  as  this,  rejoicing  in 
the  sunlight,  we  lay  on  our  backs  in 
the  grass,  and,  looking  up  into  the 
blue,  tried  to  think  ourselves  into  that 
new  world  which  we  had  suddenly 
discovered  ourselves  to  inhabit.  For 
we  had  caught  the  word,  handed  down 
with  silent  laughter  through  the  ages, 
that  we  ourselves  are  the  inventors  of 
the  game  of  life,  the  kings  of  this 
most  excellent  universe  :  that  there  is 
no  sorrow,  but  fancy  weaves  it ;  that 
we  need  not  even  knock  to  be  admit- 
ted, for  we  already  are,  and  always 
were,  though  we  had  forgotten  it, 
within  the  doors  of  life. 

That  young  enthusiasm  and  hourly 
joy  of  living  was  one  of  old  destiny's 
gracious  presents,   a   brightness  to 


xvii 


remember  when  storms  gathered 
round  us,  as  they  did  many  a  time  in 
the  years  since:  there  was  a  gaiety 
and  lightness  in  the  air  then,  a  delight 
of  new  discovery,  that  I  do  not  think 
we  shall  find  again;  yet  I  know,  and 
you  also  know,  what  excellent  strength 
we  have  gained  instead.  For,  carrying 
our  high  hopes  with  us,  all  these  years, 
as  one  side  of  life  after  another  was 
turned  to  us,  as  we  had  to  pass  through 
rough  ways  as  well  as  smooth,  to 
wrestle  with  the  stubborn  tendencies 
of  things,  full-breasted  and  strenuous, 
we  have  fought  and  worked  into  our- 
selves an  intimate  knowledge  of  what 
we  then  only  divined,  we  have  realized 
much  that  then  loomed  dim  and 
ghostly  before  us,  we  have  learned  to 
abide  confidently  by  spiritual  law. 

To  gain  our  experience  side  by  side 
would  have  been  very  pleasant,  had 
fate  so  willed  it ;  but  fate  willed  quite 
otherwise.  Almost  at  the  outset, 
destiny  carried  me,  vagrant,  to  the 
distant  rivers  of  the  east,  whose 
waters  mirror  old  towered  shrines 
among  the  palm-trees,  while  the  boat- 
man's song  floats  echo-like  across;  or 
where   the   breakers   of  the  lonely, 


xviii 


limitless  ocean  cast  forth  strange  To 
shells  upon  the  sand;  or  through  G- 
the  grey  alder-forests  stretching  away 
desolate  to  the  frozen  seas ;  or  again, 
among  rugged  mountains,  shaggy  with 
pine-forests,  where  rainbow-sparkles 
carpet  the  snow. 

And  you,  whom  outward  fate  has 
held  stationary,  travelled  perhaps 
further  after  all ;  finding  your  way 
homeward  to  the  strange  world  the 
seers  tell  of,  the  world  at  the  back  of 
the  heavens ;  and  sending  to  us  your 
"  Songs  by  the  Way." 

It  was  an  ambition  of  mine,  in 
those  old  days,  to  translate,  from  the 
Indian  books  of  Wisdom,  the  story  of 
the  Sacrificer's  son  who  was  sent  by 
his  father  to  the  house  of  Death. 
This  story  has  always  seemed  to  me 
a  teaching  of  admirable  worth,  carry- 
ing with  it  the  most  precious  gift  of 
all,  a  sense  of  the  high  mysteriousness 
and  vast  hidden  treasure  of  life,  which 
makes  us  seekers  for  ever,  always 
finding,  yet  always  knowing  that  there 
is  still  more  to  find ;  so  that  every  day 
becomes  a  thing  of  limitless  promise 
and  wonder,  only  revealing  itself  as 
containing  a  new  wonder  within.  For 


xix 


To  what  teaching  could  bring  a  more 

G.  W.  Russell  wonderful  sense  of  the  largeness  and 
hidden  riches  of  being  than  this :  that 
oursincerest  friend  is  the  once-dreaded 
king  of  terrors;  that  death  teaches 
us  what  no  other  can  —  the  lesson  of 
the  full  and  present  eternity  of  life? 
We  need  not  wait  till  our  years  are 
closed  for  his  teaching  :  that  wisdom 
of  his,  like  every  other  treasure  of 
life,  is  all-present  in  every  moment,  in 
full  abundance,  here  and  now.  It  is 
the  teaching  of  Death  that,  to  gain 
the  better,  we  must  lose  the  dearer; 
to  gain  the  greater,  we  must  lose  the 
less;  to  win  the  abundant  world  of 
reality,  we  must  give  up  the  world  of 
fancy  and  folly  and  fear  which  we 
have  so  long  held  dear :  we  have  been 
learning  it  all  these  years  since  we 
began;  learning  also  Death's  grim 
jest,  that  there  is  no  sacrifice  possible 
for  us  at  all,  for  while  we  were 
painfully  renouncing  the  dearer,  his 
splendid  generosity  had  already  given 
us  the  better  —  new  worlds  instead  of 
old. 

Well,  the  ten  years  are  passed,  and 
my  ambition  is  fulfilled;  I  hand  you 
my  rendering  of  Death's  lesson,  and 


xx 


two  more  teachings  from  the  same  7b 
old  wise  books.  G' 

I  have  found  them  wise,  beyond  all 
others;  and,  beyond  all  others,  rilled 
with  that  very  light  which  makes  all 
things  new;  the  light  discovered  first 
within,  in  the  secret  place  of  the 
heart,  and  which  brimming  over  there 
fills  the  whole  of  life,  lightening  every 
dark  and  clouded  way.  That  glowing 
heart  within  us,  we  are  beginning  to 
guess,  is  the  heart  of  all  things,  the 
everlasting  foundation  of  the  world; 
and  because  speech  is  given  therein 
to  that  teaching  of  oneness,  of  our 
hearts  and  the  heart  eternal  as  eter- 
nally one,  I  have  translated  the  last 
of  these  three  passages  from  the 
books  of  Wisdom. 

You  will  find  in  them,  besides  high 
intuition,  a  quaint  and  delightful 
flavour,  a  charm  of  childlike  simplic- 
ity; yet  of  a  child  who  is  older  than 
all  age,  a  child  of  the  eternal  and 
infinite,  whose  simplicity  is  better 
than  the  wisdom  of  the  wise. 

There  is  no  answer  in  words  to 
the  question:  What  is  in  the  great 
Beyond?  nor  can  there  be;  yet  I 
think  we  know  already  that,  in  the 


xxi 


nameless  mystery  of  the  real,  it  will 
be  altogether  well  with  us  —  now  and 
after.  This  strong  reconciliation  with 
the  real  is,  very  likely,  the  best  fruit 
of  our  ten  years'  learning. 

CHARLES  JOHNSTON. 

Balljykilbegy 
October  15,  1895. 


I 

IN  THE  HOUSE  OF  DEATH 


IN   THE   HOUSE   OF  DEATH 


The  First  Part 

ajashravasa,  verily,  seeking 
favour,  made  a  sacrifice  of 
all  he  possessed.  He  had 
a  son,  also,  by  name  Nachiketas. 
Him,  though  still  a  child,  faith  en- 
tered, while  the  gifts  were  being  led 
up. 

He  meditated : 

They  have  drunk  water,  eaten  grass, 
given  up  their  milk,  and  lost  their 
strength.  Joyless  worlds,  in  truth, 
he  gains,  who  offers  these. 

He  addressed  his  father : 

To  whom,  then,  wilt  thou  give  me  ? 
said  he. 

Twice  and  thrice  he  asked  him. 

To  Death  I  give  thee,  said  he. 

Nachiketas  ponders : 

I  go  the  first  of  many ;  I  go  in  the 
midst  of  many.  What  is  Death's 
work  that  he  will  work  on  me  to-day  ? 


5 


In  the      Look,  as  those  that  have  gone 
House  before,  behold  so  are  those  that  shall 
Death  come  after.    As  corn  a  mortal  ripens, 
as  corn  he  is  born  again. 

Nachiketas  comes  to  the  House  of 
"Death ;  he  speaks : 

Like  the  Lord  of  Fire,  a  pure  guest 
comes  to  the  house.  They  offer  him 
this  greeting.  Bring  water,  O  Death, 
Son  of  the  Sun  ! 

Hope  and  expectation,  friendship, 
kind  words,  just  and  holy  deeds,  sons 
and  cattle,  this  destroys,  for  the  fool- 
ish man  in  whose  house  a  pure  guest 
dwells  without  food. 

After  three  days  Death  comes.  Death 
speaks  : 

As  thou  hast  dwelt  three  nights 
in  my  house,  without  food,  thou,  a 
pure  guest  and  honourable  —  honour 
to  thee,  pure  one,  welfare  to  me  — 
against  this  choose  thou  three  wishes. 

Nachiketas  speaks : 

That  the  descendant  of  Gotama 
may  be  at  peace,  well-minded,  and 
with  sorrow  gone,  towards  me,  O 
Death;  that  he  may  speak  kindly  to 
me  when  sent  forth  by  thee;  this,  of 
the  three,  as  my  first  wish  I  choose. 

Death  speaks  : 


6 


As  before  will  the  son  of  Aruna,  In  the 
Uddalaka's  son,  be  kind  to  thee,  sent  House 
forth  by  me ;  by  night  will  he  sleep  °Qeath 
well,  with  sorrow  gone,  seeing  thee 
freed  from  the  mouth  of  Death. 

Nachiketas  speaks : 

In  the  heaven-world  there  is  no 
fear  at  all;  nor  art  thou  there,  nor 
does  he  fear  from  old  age.  Crossing 
over  both  hunger  and  thirst,  and 
going  beyond  sorrow,  he  exults  in  the 
heaven-world. 

The  heavenly  fire  thou  knowest, 
Death,  tell  it  to  me,  for  I  am  faithful. 
The  heaven-worlds  enjoy  deathless- 
ness;  this,  as  my  second  wish,  I 
choose. 

Death  speaks : 

To  thee  I  tell  it;  learn  then  from 
me,  Nachiketas,  finding  the  heavenly 
fire.  Know  thou  also  the  obtaining 
of  unending  worlds,  the  resting-place, 
for  this  is  hidden  in  secret. 

He  told  him  then  that  fire,  the 
beginning  of  the  worlds,  and  the 
bricks  of  the  altar,  and  how  many 
and  how  they  are.  And  he  again 
spoke  it  back  to  him  as  it  was 
told;  and  Death,  well-pleased,  again 
addressed  him. 


7 


In  the      This    is    thy    heavenly    fire,  O 
House  Nachiketas,  which  thou  hast  chosen 
Death  as  tny  second  wish.     This  fire  of 
thine  shall  they  proclaim.  Choose 
now,  Nachiketas,  thy  third  wish. 
Nachiketas  speaks : 
This  doubt  that  there  is  of  a  man 
that  has  gone  forth  :  "  He  exists,"  say 
some ;  and  "  He  exists  not,"  others 
say:  a  knowledge  of  this,  taught  by 
thee,  this  of  my  wishes  is  the  third 
wish. 

Death  speaks : 

Even  by  the  gods  of  old  it  was 
doubted  about  this ;  not  easily  know- 
able,  and  subtle  is  this  law.  Choose, 
Nachiketas,  another  wish;  hold  me 
not  to  it,  but  spare  me  this. 

Nachiketas  speaks : 

Even  by  the  gods,  thou  sayest,  it 
was  doubted  about  this;  and  not 
easily  knowable  is  it,  O  Death.  An- 
other teacher  of  it  cannot  be  found 
like  thee.  No  other  wish  is  equal  to 
this. 

Death  speaks : 

Choose  sons  and  grandsons  of 
a  hundred  years,  and  much  cattle, 
and  elephants  and  gold  and  horses. 
Choose  the  great  abode  of  the  earth, 


8 


and  for  thyself  live  as  many  autumns  In  the 

as  thou  wilt.  J 

of 

If  thou  thinkest  this  an  equal  wish,  Deatj, 
choose  wealth  and  length  of  days. 
Be   thou   mighty   in  the  world,  O 
Nachiketas;  I  make  thee  an  enjoyer 
of  thy  desires. 

Whatsoever  desires  are  difficult  in 
the  mortal  world,  ask  all  desires 
according  to  thy  will. 

These  beauties,  with  their  chariots 
and  lutes  —  not  such  as  these  are  to 
be  won  by  men  —  be  waited  on  by 
them,  my  gifts.  Ask  me  not  of  death, 
Nachiketas. 


Nachiketas  speaks : 

To-morrow  these  fleeting  things 
wear  out  the  vigour  of  a  mortal's 
powers.  Even  the  whole  of  life  is 
short;  thine  are  chariots  and  dance 
and  song. 

Not  by  wealth  can  a  man  be  satis- 
fled.  Shall  we  choose  wealth  if  we 
have  seen  thee  ?  Shall  we  desire  life 
while  thou  art  master?  But  the  wish 
I  choose  is  truly  that. 

Coming  near  to  the  unfading  im- 
mortals, a  fading  mortal  here  below, 
and  understanding,  thinking  on  the 


9 


In  the  sweets  of  beauty  and  pleasure,  who 
H°use  would  rejoice  in  length  of  days? 
Death      This   that   they   doubt  about,  O 
Death,  what  is  in  the  great  Beyond, 
tell  me  of  that.    This  wish  that  draws 
near   to    the    mystery,  Nachiketas 
chooses  no  other  wish  than  that. 
Death  speaks : 

The  better  is  one  thing,  the  dearer 
is  another  thing;  these  two  bind  a 
man  in  opposite  ways.  Of  these 
two,  it  is  well  for  him  who  takes  the 
better;  he  fails  of  his  object,  who 
chooses  the  dearer. 

The  better  and  the  dearer  approach 
a  man ;  going  round  them,  the  sage 
discerns  between  them.  The  sage 
chooses  the  better  rather  than  the 
dearer;  the  fool  chooses  the  dearer, 
through  lust  of  possession. 

Thou  indeed,  pondering  on  dear  and 
dearly-loved  desires,  O  Nachiketas, 
hast  passed  them  by.  Not  this  way 
of  wealth  hast  thou  chosen,  in  which 
many  men  sink. 

Far  apart  are  these  two  ways,  un- 
wisdom and  what  is  known  as  wisdom. 
I  esteem  Nachiketas  as  one  seeking 
wisdom,  nor  do  manifold  desires  allure 
thee. 


10 


Others,  turning  about  in  unwisdom,  /»  the 
self -wise  and  thinking  they  are  learned,  House 
fools,  stagger,  lagging  in  the  way,  like  °Death 
the  blind  led  by  the  blind. 

The  great  Beyond  gleams  not  for 
the  child,  led  away  by  the  delusion  of 
possessions.  "This  is  the  world, 
there  is  no  other,"  he  thinks,  and 
so  falls  again  and  again  under  my 
dominion. 

That  is  not  to  be  gained  even  for  a 
hearing  by  many,  and  hearing  it  many 
understand  it  not.  Wonderful  is  the 
speaker  of  it,  blessed  the  receiver; 
wonderful  is  the  knower  of  it,  taught 
by  the  blessed. 

Not  by  the  lower  man  is  this,  when 
declared,  to  be  known  even  by  much 
meditation.  There  is  no  way  to  it 
unless  told  by  the  other,  very  subtle 
is  it,  nor  can  it  be  debated  by  formal 
logic. 

The  understanding  of  this  cannot  be 
gained  by  debate ;  but  it  is  declared  by 
the  other,  dearest,  for  a  right  under- 
standing. Thou  hast  obtained  it,  for 
thou  art  steadfast  in  the  truth ;  may  a 
questioner  like  thee,  Nachiketas,  come 
to  us. 

"  I  know  that  what  they  call  treasure 


1 1 


In  the  is  unenduring;  and  by  unlasting  things 
House  wnat  is  iasting  cannot  be  obtained. 
Death  Therefore  the  Nachiketas  fire  was 
kindled  by  me,  and  for  these  unendur- 
ing things  I  have  gained  that  which 
endures." 

Thus  saying,  and  having  beheld 
the  obtaining  of  longings,  the  resting- 
place  of  the  world,  the  endlessness  of 
desire,  the  shore  where  there  is  no 
fear,  greatly  praised,  and  the  wide-sung 
resting-place,  thou,  Nachiketas,  wise 
in  thy  firmness,  hast  passed  them  by. 

But  that  which  is  hard  to  see,  which 
has  entered  the  secret  place,  and  is 
hidden  in  secret,  the  mystery,  the 
ancient;  understanding  that  bright 
one  by  the  path  of  union  with  the 
inner  self,  the  wise  man  leaves  exulta- 
tion and  sorrow  behind. 

A  mortal,  hearing  this  and  under- 
standing it,  drawing  forth  that  subtle 
righteous  one  from  all  things  else,  and 
obtaining  it,  rejoices,  having  gained 
good  cause  for  rejoicing;  and  the 
door  to  it  is  wide  open,  I  think, 
Nachiketas. 

Nachiketas  speaks : 

What  thou  seest  to  be  neither  the 
law  nor  lawlessness,  neither  what  is 


1 1 


commanded  nor  what  is  forbidden ;  In  the 
neither  what  has  been  nor  what  shall  House 
be,  tell  me  that.  °^eath 

Death  speaks : 

That  resting-place  which  all  the 
Vedas  proclaim,  and  all  austerities 
declare ;  seeking  for  which  they  enter 
the  service  of  the  Eternal,  that  resting- 
place  I  briefly  tell  to  thee. 

It  is  the  unchanging  Eternal,  it 
is  the  unchanging  supreme;  having 
understood  that  unchanging  one, 
whatsoever  a  man  wishes,  that  he 
gains.  It  is  the  excellent  foundation, 
the  supreme  foundation;  knowing 
that  foundation,  a  man  is  mighty  in 
the  eternal  world. 

The  knower  is  never  born  nor  dies, 
nor  is  it  from  anywhere,  nor  did  it 
become  anything.  Unborn,  eternal, 
immemorial,  this  ancient  is  not  slain 
when  the  body  is  slain. 

If  the  slayer  thinks  to  slay  it,  if  the 
slain  thinks  it  is  slain,  neither  of  them 
understand ;  this  slays  not  nor  is  slain. 

Smaller  than  small,  greater  than 
great,  this  Self  is  hidden  in  the  heart 
of  man.  He  who  has  ceased  from 
desire,  and  passed  sorrow  by,  through 


*3 


In  the  the  favour  of  that  ordainer  beholds 

H™se  the  greatness  of  the  Self. 

Death  Though  seated,  it  travels  far; 
though  at  rest,  it  goes  everywhere; 
who  but  me  is  worthy  to  know  this 
bright  one  who  is  joy  without 
rejoicing? 

Understanding  this  great  lord  the 
Self,  bodiless  in  bodies,  stable  among 
unstable,  the  wise  man  cannot  grieve. 
This  Self  is  not  to  be  gained  by 
speaking  of  it,  nor  by  ingenuity, 
nor  by  much  hearing.  Whom  this 
chooses,  by  him  it  is  gained,  and  the 
Self  chooses  his  form  as  its  own. 

He  who  has  ceased  not  from  evil, 
who  is  not  at  peace,  who  stands  not 
firm  whose  emotions  are  not  at  rest, 
cannot  obtain  it  by  knowledge. 

Priest  and  Warrior  are  its  food,  its 
anointing  is  death ;  who  knows  truly 
where  it  is  ? 
'Death  speaks : 

The  knowers  of  the  Eternal,  those 
of  the  five  fires,  and  of  the  triple  fire 
of  Nachiketas,  tell  of  the  shadow  and 
the  fire  —  the  soul  and  the  spirit  — 
entering  into  the  cave  and  drinking 
their  reward  in  the  world  of  good 
works,  on  the  higher  path. 


This  is  the  bridge  of  the  sacrificers,  In  the 
the  undying  Eternal,  the  supreme,  the  House 
fearless,  the  harbour  of  those  who  °£  tb 
would  cross  over — may  we  master 
the  fire  of  Nachiketas. 

Know  that  the  Self  is  the  lord  of 
the  chariot,  the  body  verily  is  the 
chariot;  know  that  the  soul  is  the 
charioteer,  and  emotion  the  reins. 

They  say  that  the  bodily  powers 
are  the  horses,  and  that  the  external 
world  is  their  field.  When  the  Self, 
the  bodily  powers  and  emotion  are 
joined  together,  this  is  the  right 
enjoyer;  thus  say  the  wise. 

But  for  the  unwise,  with  emotion 
ever  unrestrained,  his  bodily  powers 
run  away  with  him,  like  the  unruly 
horses  of  the  charioteer. 

For  him  who  is  wise,  with  emotion 
ever  restrained,  his  bodily  powers  do 
not  run  away  with  him,  like  the  well- 
ruled  horses  of  the  charioteer. 

But  he  who  is  unwise,  restrains  not 
emotion,  and  is  ever  impure,  gains 
not  that  resting-place,  but  returns  to 
the  world  of  birth  and  death. 

He  who  is  wise,  restrains  emotion, 
and  is  ever  pure,  gains  that  resting- 
place  from  which  he  is  not  born  again. 


*5 


In  the  He  whose  charioteer  is  wisdom, 
House  wh0  grasps  the  reins  —  emotion  — 
°Deatb  firmty>  ne  indeed  gains  the  end  of  the 
path,  the  supreme  resting-place  of  the 
emanating  Power. 

The  impulses  are  higher  than  the 
bodily  powers ;  emotion  is  higher  than 
the  impulses;  soul  is  higher  than 
emotion ;  higher  than  soul  is  the  Self, 
the  great  one. 

Higher  than  this  great  one  is  the 
unmanifest  ;  higher  than  the  unmani- 
fest  is  spirit.  Than  spirit  nothing  is 
higher,  for  it  is  the  goal,  and  the 
supreme  way. 

This  is  the  hidden  Self;  in  all 
beings  it  shines  not  forth;  but  is 
perceived  by  the  piercing  subtle  soul 
of  the  subtle-sighted. 

Let  the  wise  hold  formative  voice 
and  emotion;  let  him  hold  them  in 
the  Self  which  is  wisdom;  let  him 
hold  this  wisdom  in  the  Self  which  is 
great;  and  this  let  him  hold  in  the 
Self  which  is  peace. 

Rise  up!  awake!  and,  having  ob- 
tained your  wishes,  understand  them. 

The  sages  say  this  path  is  hard, 
difficult  to  tread  as  the  keen  edge  of 
a  razor. 


16 


He  is  released  from  the  mouth  of  /»  the 
Death,  having  gained  the  lasting  thing  House 
which  is  above  the  great,  which  has  °q  tb 
neither  sound  nor  touch  nor  form  nor 
change  nor  taste  nor  smell,  but  is 
eternal,  beginningless,  endless. 

This  is  the  immemorial  teaching 
of  Nachiketas,  declared  by  Death. 
Speaking  it  and  hearing  it  the  sage  is 
mighty  in  the  eternal  world.  Whoso- 
ever, being  pure,  shall  cause  this 
supreme  secret  to  be  heard,  in  the 
assembly  of  those  who  seek  the 
Eternal,  or  at  the  time  of  the  union 
with  those  who  have  gone  forth,  he 
indeed  builds  for  endlessness,  he 
builds  for  endlessness. 


IN   THE   HOUSE    OF  DEATH 


The  Second  Part 

he  Self-Being  pierced  the 
openings  outward;  hence 
one  looks  outward,  not 
within  himself.  A  wise  man  looked 
towards  the  Self  with  reverted  sight, 
seeking  deathlessness. 

Children  seek  after  outward  desires ; 
they  come  to  the  net  of  widespread 
death.  But  the  wise,  beholding  death- 
lessness, seek  not  for  the  enduring 
among  unenduring  things. 

By  that  which  perceives  form,  taste, 
smell,  sounds,  and  embraces;  by  this 
verily  he  discerns,  for  what  else  is 
there?    This  is  that. 

The  wise  man,  thinking  that  that 
by  which  he  perceives  both  waking 
and  dreaming  life,  is  the  great,  the 
lord,  the  Self,  grieves  not. 

He  who  perceives  the  living  Self, 
the  honey-eater,  close  at  hand,  the 
lord  of  what  has  been  and  what  shall 
be,  he  is  no  longer  seeking  for  refuge. 
This  is  that. 


18 


He  who  knows  the  first-born  of  In  the 
radiance,  born  of  old  of  the  waters,  House 
standing  hid  in  secret,  who  looked  ^ 
forth  through  creatures.   This  is  that. 

And  the  great  mother,  full  of 
divinity,  who  comes  forth  through 
life,  standing  hid  in  secret,  who  was 
born  through  creatures.    This  is  that. 

The  fire  hidden  in  the  fire  sticks  — 
like  a  germ,  well  concealed  by  the 
mothers — that  fire  is  day  by  day  to 
be  praised  by  men  who  wake,  with 
the  oblation.    This  is  that. 

Whence  the  sun  rises,  and  whither 
he  goes  to  setting;  that  all  the  bright 
ones  rest  on,  nor  does  any  go  beyond 
it.    This  is  that. 

What  is  here,  that  is  there;  what  is 
there,  that  also  is  here.  He  goes 
from  death  to  death  who  sees  a  differ- 
ence between  them. 

This  is  to  be  received  by  the  mind, 
that  there  is  no  difference  here.  From 
death  to  death  he  goes,  who  sees  a 
difference. 

The  spirit  of  the  measure  of  a  finger 
stands  in  the  midst,  in  the  Self ;  lord 
of  what  has  been,  and  what  shall  be. 
Thereafter  one  is  no  longer  seeking 
for  refuge.    This  is  that. 


19 


In  the  The  spirit  of  the  measure  of  a  finger 
House  jg  a  1jght  without  smoke;  lord  of 
°Deatb  wftat  nas  been  and  what  shall  be,  the 

same  to-day  and  to-morrow.    This  is 

that. 

As  water  rained  on  broken  ground 
runs  away  among  the  mountains;  so 
he  who  beholds  separate  natures  runs 
hither  and  thither  after  them. 

As  pure  water  poured  in  pure 
remains  the  same,  so  is  the  Self  of 
the  discerning  sage,  O  descendant  of 
Gotama. 

Understanding  the  eleven-doored 
dwelling  of  the  unborn  seer  of  truth, 
he  grieves  not;  and,  freed,  he  is  set 
free.    This  is  that. 

This  is  the  Swan  in  the  pure  world, 
the  radiant  in  the  middle  world,  the 
fire  here  on  the  altar;  as  a  guest  in  a 
dwelling. 

This  is  the  essence  of  man,  the 
essence  of  the  best,  the  essence  of 
the  deep  and  the  ether;  those  born 
of  the  water,  of  earth,  of  the  deep,  of 
the  mountains,  are  that  true  great  one. 

He  leads  upward  the  forward-life, 
and  casts  back  the  downward-life. 
All  the  bright  powers  bow  to  the 
dwarf  seated  in  their  midst. 


20 


When  this  lord  of  the  body,  stand-  the 
ing  within  the  body,  departs ;  when  he  House 
goes  forth  free  from  the  body,  what  is  °q  t^ 
left  ?    This  is  that. 

No  mortal  lives  by  the  forward-life, 
nor  by  the  downward-life.  But  by 
another  they  live,  in  whom  these  two 
rest. 

This  secret  immemorial  Eternal,  I 
shall  declare  to  thee;  and  how  the 
Self  is,  on  attaining  death,  O  descend- 
ant of  Gotama. 

Some  come  to  the  womb,  for  the 
embodying  of  that  lord  of  the  body. 
Others  reach  the  resting-place,  accord- 
ing to  deeds,  according  to  what  they 
have  understood. 

The  spirit  that  wakes  in  those  that 
dream,  moulding  desire  after  desire, 
is  that  bright  one,  that  Eternal ;  that 
they  call  the  immortal  one.  In  this 
all  the  worlds  rest,  nor  does  any  go 
beyond  it.    This  is  that. 

As  fire,  being  one,  on  entering  the 
world,  is  assimilated  to  form  after 
form ;  so  the  inner  Self  of  all  being  is 
assimilated  to  form  after  form,  and 
yet  remains  outside  them.  ' 

As  the  air,  being  one,  on  entering 
the  world,  is  assimilated  to  form  after 


21 


In  the  form;  so  the  inner  Self  of  all  being  is 
House  assimilated  to  form  after  form,  and 
°Deatb  ^et  remams  outside  them. 

As  the  sun,  the  eye  of  all  the  world, 
is  not  smeared  by  visible  outer  stains ; 
so  the  inner  Self  of  all  being  is  not 
smirched  by  sorrow  of  the  world,  but 
remains  outside  it. 

The  one  ruler,  the  inner  Self  of  all 
being,  who  makes  one  form  manifold ; 
the  wise  who  behold  him  within 
themselves,  theirs  is  happiness,  and 
not  others'. 

The  durable  among  undurables ; 
the  soul  of  souls,  who  though  one, 
disposes  the  desires  of  many;  the 
wise  who  behold  him  within  them- 
selves, theirs  is  peace  everlasting,  and 
not  others'. 

This  is  that,  they  think,  the  ineffable 
supreme  joy.  How  then  may  I  know, 
whether  this  shines  or  borrows  its 
light?  No  sun  shines  there,  nor  the 
moon  and  stars;  nor  lightnings,  nor 
fire  like  this.  All  verily  shines  after 
that  shining.  From  the  shining  of 
that,  all  this  borrows  light. 

Rooted  above,  with  branches  below, 


22 


is  this  immemorial  Tree.    It  is  that  the 
bright  one,  that  Eternal;  it  is  called  ^use 
the  immortal.    In  it  all  the  worlds  Death 
rest;  nor  does   any  go  beyond  it. 
This  is  that. 

All  that  the  universe  is,  moves  in 
life,  emanated  from  it.  It  is  the  great 
fear,  the  upraised  thunderbolt.  They 
who  have  seen  it,  become  immortal. 

Through  fear  of  this,  Fire  glows; 
through  fear  of  this,  the  Sun  glows; 
through  fear  of  it,  the  King  and 
Breath ;  and  Death  runs,  as  fifth. 

If  one  has  been  able  to  understand 
it  here,  before  the  body's  falling 
away,  he  builds  for  embodiment  in 
the  creative  worlds. 

As  in  a  mirror,  this  is  seen  in  the 
Self;  as  in  a  dream,  it  is  seen  in  the 
world;  as  in  the  waters  around,  it  is 
seen  in  the  world  of  sylphs ;  as  in  the 
fire  and  the  shadow,  it  is  seen  in  the 
world  of  the  Evolver. 

Considering  the  life  of  the  powers 
as  apart,  and  their  rising  and  setting 
as  they  grow  up  apart,  the  wise  man 
grieves  not. 

Mind  is  higher  than  the  powers, 
the  real  is  higher  than  mind;  than 
this  real,  the  great  Self  is  higher; 


23 


In  the  and  than  the  great,  the  unmanifest  is 
House  higher. 

of 

Death  Than  the  unmanifest,  spirit  is 
higher,  the  universal  and  formless; 
knowing  which  a  being  is  released, 
and  goes  to  immortality. 

The  form  of  this  does  not  stand 
visible,  nor  does  anyone  behold  it 
with  the  eye.  By  the  heart,  the  soul, 
the  mind,  it  is  grasped;  and  those 
who  know  it  become  immortal. 

When  the  five  perceptions  and 
mind  are  steadied;  and  when  the 
soul  struggles  not,  this,  they  say,  is 
the  highest  way. 

This  they  think  to  be  union,  the 
firm  holding  of  the  powers.  Unper- 
turbed is  this  union,  though  there  be 
ebb  and  flow. 

Nor  by  speech,  nor  by  mind  can  it 
be  gained ;  nor  by  sight.  It  is  gained 
by  him  who  can  affirm  "  It  is  " ;  how 
else  could  it  be  gained  ? 

It  is  to  be  gained  by  affirming  "  It 
is  ";  and  as  the  real  in  what  is  and  is 
not.  In  him  who  obtains  it  by  affirm- 
ing "  It  is  "  its  reality  is  perfected. 

When  all  desires  that  dwell  in  his 
heart  are  let  go,  the  mortal  becomes 
immortal,  and  reaches  the  Eternal. 


24 


When  all  the  knots  of  his  heart  ln  tbe 

are  untied  here,  the  mortal  becomes  H°use 

.  °f 

immortal.    So  far  is  the  teaching.  Death 

A  hundred  and  one  are  the  heart's 
channels;  of  these  one  passes  to  the 
crown.  Going  up  by  this,  he  comes 
to  the  immortal.  The  others  lead 
hither  and  thither. 

The  spirit  of  the  measure  of  a 
finger,  the  inner  Self,  ever  dwells  in 
the  hearts  of  men.  Let  him  draw 
forth  this  spirit  from  his  body,  firmly, 
like  the  pith  from  a  reed. 

Let  him  know  that  this  is  the  bright 
one,  the  immortal.  Let  him  know 
it  is  the  bright  one,  the  immortal. 

Nachiketas  thus  having  received 
the  knowledge  declared  by  Death, 
and  the  whole  law  of  union,  became  a 
passionless  dweller  in  the  Eternal, 
and  deathless;  and  so  may  another 
who  thus  knows  the  union  with  the 
Self. 


II 

A  VEDIC  MASTER 


A  VEDIC  MASTER 


hese  men,  Sukeshan  Bhar- 
advaja,  and  Shaivya  Saty- 
akama,  and  Sauryayanin 
Gargya,  and  Kaushalya  Ashvalayana, 
and  Bhargava  Vaidarbhi,  and  Kaband- 
hin  Katyayana,  full  of  the  Eternal, 
firm  in  the  Eternal,  were  seeking  after 
the  supreme  Eternal. 

They  came  to  the  Master  Pippalada, 
with  fuel  in  their  hands,  saying:  He 
verily  will  declare  it  all. 

And  the  Sage  said  to  them :  Remain 
yet  a  year  in  fervour,  service  of  the 
Eternal,  and  faith.  Ask  whatever 
questions  you  will,  if  we  know  them, 
we  shall  declare  all  to  you. 

So  Kabandhin  Katyayana,  ap- 
proaching, asked:  Master,  where  are 
all  these  beings  brought  forth  from  ? 

He  answered  him:  The  Lord  of 
beings  desired  beings.  He  brooded 
with  fervour;  and,  brooding  with 
fervour,  he  forms  a  Pair.  They  are 
the  Substance  and  the  Life.  These 
two  will  make  beings  manifold  for 
me,  said  he.    The  sun  verily  is  the 


29 


Life,  and  Substance  is  the  moon. 
For  Substance  is  all  that  is  formed, 
and  the  formless  is  the  Life.  There- 
fore the  form  is  the  Substance. 

So  the  sun,  rising,  enters  the  east- 
ern space;  and  thus  he  gathers  all  the 
eastern  lives  among  his  rays.  As  the 
southern,  the  western,  the  northern, 
the  nether,  and  the  upper  space,  and 
the  spaces  between,  as  he  illumines 
all,  so  he  gathers  all  lives  among  his 
rays.  Thus  the  Life  rises  as  universal, 
all-formed  fire. 

And  this  is  declared  by  the  Vedic 
verse : 

The  all-formed,  golden  Illuminer, 
the  supreme  way,  the  light,  the 
fervent  one.  Thousand-rayed, 
turning  in  a  hundred  ways,  the 
Life  of  beings,  this  sun  rises. 

The  year  is  a  Lord  of  beings.  His 
two  paths  are  the  southern  and  the 
northern.  Therefore  they  who  wor- 
ship, thinking  that  it  is  fulfilled  by 
sacrifice  and  gifts,  win  the  lunar  world. 
They  verily  return  again.  Therefore 
these  sages  who  desire  beings,  turn  to 
the  south.  For  this  is  the  path  of 
Substance,  the  path  of  the  fathers. 


3° 


But  they  who  by  the  northern  way  4 

seek  the  Self  by  fervour,  service  of  ;m 

Mi 

the  Eternal,  faith  and  knowledge,  they 
verily  win  the  sun.  This  is  the  home 
of  lives ;  this  is  the  immortal,  fearless, 
supreme  way.  From  it  they  do  not 
return  again ;  for  this  is  the  end. 

And  there  is  this  verse : 

They  call  the  sun  the  father  in  the 
upper  half  of  heaven,  with  five 
steps — seasons — and  twelve  forms 
— months — the  giver  of  increase. 

But  others  call  him  the  Seer  who 
rests  in  the  seven-wheeled  chariot, 
of  six  spokes. 

The  month  is  a  Lord  of  beings. 
The  dark  half  is  the  Substance;  the 
bright  half  is  the  Life.  Therefore 
these  Sages  offer  sacrifice  in  the 
bright  half ;  but  the  others  in  the 
other  half. 

Day-and-night  is  a  Lord  of  beings. 
Day  verily  is  the  Life,  and  night  is 
the  Substance.  They  waste  their  life 
who  find  love  in  the  outward;  but 
service  of  the  Eternal  finds  love  in 
the  hidden. 

Food  also  is  a  Lord  of  beings. 
Thence  comes  this  seed,  and  thence 
these  beings  are  brought  forth.  And 


all  that  follow  this  vow  of  the  Lord 
of  beings,  produce  a  pair. 

Theirs  verily  is  that  world  of  the 
Eternal,  who  have  fervour  and  service 
of  the  Eternal,  and  in  whom  truth  is 
set  firm.  Theirs  is  that  quiet  world 
of  the  Eternal;  but  not  theirs,  in 
whom  are  crookedness,  untruth, 
illusion. 

And  so  Bhargava  Vaidarbhi  asked 
him :  Master,  how  many  are  the 
bright  ones  that  uphold  being? 
Which  illumine  this?  Which  of 
them  again  is  chiefest  ? 

He  answered  him:  Shining  ether 
is  that  bright  one,  air,  and  fire,  and 
water,  and  earth;  voice,  mind,  sight, 
hearing.  They,  illumining,  declare : 
We  uphold  this  ray,  establishing  it. 

And  Life,  the  chiefest  among  them, 
said :  Cherish  not  this  delusion :  for 
I,  verily,  dividing  myself  fivefold, 
uphold  this  ray,  establishing  it. 

They  were  incredulous.  Life  proud- 
ly made  as  if  to  go  out  above.  And  as 
Life  goes  out,  all  the  others  go  out, 
and  as  Life  returns,  all  the  others 
return.  As  the  bees  all  go  out  after 
the  honey-makers'  king  when  he  goes 


32 


out,  and  return  when  he  returns,  thus  A 

did  voice,  mind,  sight,  and  hearing.  *^ 

Mi 

Joyful,  they  sing  the  praise  of  Life. 

He  warms  as  fire;  as  sun,  and  the 
rain-god;  the  thunderer,  wind, 
and  the  earth,  substance,  the 
bright  one;  what  is,  what  is  not, 
and  what  is  immortal. 

Like  spokes  in  a  wheel's  nave,  all 
this  rests  in  Life.  Songs,  and 
liturgies,  and  chants;  sacrifice 
and  warrior  and  priest. 

Thou,  Life,  as  Lord  of  beings, 
movest  in  the  germ;  and  thou 
thyself  art  born  from  it.  And  to 
thee,  Life,  these  beings  bring  the 
offering;  thou  who  art  set  firm 
through  the  lives. 

Thou  art  the  tongued  flame  of  the 
bright  ones ;  the  first  oblation  of 
the  fathers.  Thou  art  the  law  of 
the  sages ;  the  truth  of  sacrificial 
priests. 

Thou  art  the  thunderer,  Life,  with 
his  brightness;  thou  art  the 
storm-god,  the  preserver.  Thou 
movest  in  the  mid  space  as  the 
sun ;  thou  art  master  of  the  stars. 

When  thou  descendest  as  rain, 
these  thy  children,  Life,  stand 


33 


rejoicing;  we  shall  have  food, 
they  say,  according  to  our  desire. 

Thou  art  the  exile,  Life,  the  lonely 
seer;  the  eater,  the  good  master 
of  all.  We  are  givers  of  the  first 
offering.  Thou  art  father  to  us, 
the  great  Breath. 

Thy  form  that  is  manifested  in 
voice,  and  in  hearing,  and  in 
sight,  and  the  form  that  expands 
in  mind,  make  it  auspicious! 
Go  not  out ! 

All  this  is  in  Life's  sway,  all  that  is 
set  firm  in  the  triple  heaven. 
Guard  us  as  a  mother  her  sons; 
and  as  Fortune,  give  us  wisdom ! 

And  so  Kaushalya  Ashvalayana 
asked  him :  Master,  where  is  this  Life 
born  from?  How  does  it  enter  this 
body?  How  does  it  come  forth, 
dividing  itself?  Through  what  does 
it  go  out  ?  How  does  it  envelop  the 
outer?  and  how  as  to  union  with  the 
Self? 

He  answered  him :  Many  questions 
thou  askest !  Thou  art  full  of  the 
Eternal,  and  therefore  I  tell  it  to  thee. 

From  the  Self  is  this  Life  born. 
And  as  the  shadow  beside  a  man, 


A 

Vedic 

Master 


34 


this  is  expanded  in  that.  By  mind's  A 
action  it  enters  this  body.  And  as  a  ^ 
sovereign  commands  his  lords :  These 
villages  and  these  villages  shall  ye 
rule  over!  Thus  also  Life  disposes 
the  lesser  lives.  For  the  lower 
powers,  the  downward-life;  in  sight 
and  hearing,  in  mouth  and  nose,  the 
forward-life;  and  in  the  midst,  the 
binding-life;  this  binds  together  the 
food  that  is  offered;  and  thence  the 
seven  flames  arise. 

In  the  heart  is  the  Self.  Here  are 
a  hundred  and  one  channels.  From 
them  a  hundred  each,  and  in  each  of 
these,  two  and  seventy  thousand 
branch-channels.  In  these  the  dis- 
tributing-life moves. 

And  by  one,  the  upward,  rises  the 
upward-life.  It  leads  by  holiness  to  a 
holy  world,  by  sin  to  a  sinful  world, 
by  both,  to  the  world  of  men. 

The  outward-life  rises  as  the  sun. 
It  is  linked  with  this  life  that  dwells 
in  seeing.  And  the  potency  that  is  in 
earth,  entering  the  downward-life  of 
man,  establishes  it.  And  the  shining 
ether  is  for  the  binding-life,  and  air 
for  the  distributing-life. 

And  radiance  for  the  upward-life. 


35 


Therefore  he  whose  radiance  has 
become  quiescent  is  reborn  through 
the  impulses  dwelling  in  mind. 
According  to  his  thoughts,  he  enters 
life.  And  Life  joined  by  the  radiance 
with  the  Self  leads  him  to  a  world 
according  to  his  will. 

He  who,  thus  knowing,  knows  Life, 
his  being  fails  not,  and  he  becomes 
immortal. 

And  there  is  this  verse : 
Knowing  the  source,  the  range, 
the  abode,  the  lordship  of  Life 
fivefold,  and  its  union  with  the 
Self,  he  reaches  immortality,  he 
reaches  immortality. 

And  so  Sauryayanin  Gargya  asked 
him  :  Master,  how  many  powers  sleep 
in  the  man  ?  How  many  wake  in 
him?  Who  is  the  bright  one  that 
sees  dreams  ?  Whose  is  that  bliss  ? 
and  in  whom  are  all  these  set  firm  ? 

He  answered  him :  As,  Gargya,  the 
rays  of  the  sun,  at  setting,  all  become 
one  in  his  shining  orb ;  and  when  he 
rises,  they  all  come  forth  again ;  so  all 
becomes  one  in  the  higher  bright  one, 
mind. 


36 


Therefore  the  man  hears  not,  nor 
sees  nor  smells,  nor  tastes,  nor 
touches,  nor  speaks,  nor  takes,  nor 
enjoys,  nor  puts  forth,  nor  moves. 
He  sleeps,  they  say. 

The  life-fires  verily  wake  in  this 
dwelling.  The  household  fire  is  the 
downward-life.  The  fire  of  oblations 
is  the  distributing-life.  And  as  the 
fire  of  offerings « is  brought  forward 
from  the  household  fire,  it  is  the 
forward-life. 

And  the  binding-life  is  what  binds 
together  the  offerings,  the  outbreak- 
ing and  inbreathing.  Mind  is  the 
sacrificer,  and  the  upward-life  is  the 
fruit  of  the  sacrifice.  For  it  brings  the 
sacrificer  day  by  day  to  the  Eternal. 

So  this  bright  one  in  dream  enjoys 
greatness.  The  seen,  as  seen  he 
beholds  again.  What  was  heard,  as 
heard  he  hears  again.  And  what  was 
enjoyed  by  the  other  powers,  he 
enjoys  again  by  the  other  powers. 
The  seen  and  the  unseen,  heard  and 
unheard,  enjoyed  and  unenjoyed,  real 
and  unreal,  he  sees  it  all;  as  All  he 
sees  it. 

And  when  he  is  wrapt  by  the 
radiance,  the  bright  one  no  longer 


37 


sees  dreams.  Then  within  him  that 
bliss  arises.  And,  dear,  as  the  birds 
come  to  the  tree  to  rest,  so  all  this 
comes  to  rest  in  the  higher  Self. 

Earth  and  earth-forms;  water  and 
water-forms ;  light  and  light-forms ; 
air  and  air-forms;  ether  and  ether- 
forms;  seeing  and  seen;  hearing  and 
heard;  smelling  and  smelled;  taste 
and  tasted ;  touch  and  touched ;  voice 
and  spoken;  hands  and  handled; 
feet  and  moving;  mind  and  minding; 
knowledge  and  knowing;  personality 
and  personal ;  imagination  and  imagin- 
ing; radiance  and  enlightening;  life 
and  living. 

For  this  Self  is  the  seer,  toucher, 
hearer,  smeller,  taster,  thinker,  knower, 
doer,  the  perceiving  spirit.  And  this 
is  set  firm  in  the  supreme,  unchanging 
Self. 

He  reaches  the  supreme  unchanging 
who  knows  that  shadowless,  bodiless, 
colourless,  bright  unchanging  one. 
He,  dear,  becomes  all-knowing,  be- 
comes the  All. 

And  there  is  this  verse : 
He  who  knows  the  unchanging  one 
where  are  set  firm  the  perceiving 
self,  with  all  the  powers,  all  lives 


38 


and  beings;  he,  verily,  all-know- 
ing, has  entered  the  All. 

And  so  Shaivya  Satyakama  asked 
him :  And  he  amongst  men,  Master, 
who  to  the  end  of  his  life  meditates 
on  the  mystic  Om;  what  world  will 
he  gain  by  it  ? 

And  he  answered  him :  This  mystic 
Om,  Satyakama,  is  for  the  higher  and 
lower  Eternal.  Therefore  the  wise 
man,  by  dwelling  on  this,  reaches  one 
of  these :  if  he  meditates  on  the  first 
measure,  enlightened  by  it  he  is 
quickly  reborn  in  the  world.  The 
songs  bring  him  to  the  world  of  men ; 
there,  full  of  fervour,  service  of  the 
Eternal,  and  faith,  he  enjoys  greatness. 

And  if  he  dwells  on  it  in  his  mind 
with  two  measures,  he  is  led  to  the 
middle  world  by  the  liturgies.  He 
wins  the  lunar  world,  and  after  enjoy- 
ing brightness  in  the  lunar  world,  he 
returns  again. 

And  he  who  with  three  measures 
meditates  on  the  mystic  Om,  and 
thereby  meditates  on  the  supreme 
spirit,  is  endowed  with  radiance,  with 
the  sun  ;  as  a  serpent  is  freed  from  its 
slough,  he  is,  verily,  freed  from  sin. 


39 


He  is  led  by  the  chants  to  the  world 
of  the  Eternal.  He  beholds  the 
indwelling  spirit  above  the  highest 
assemblage  of  lives. 

And  there  are  these  two  verses : 
The  three  measures  are  subject  to 
death  when  divided ;  they  are 
joined  to  each  other,  but  not 
inseparable.  When  the  outer, 
the  middle,  and  the  midmost 
forms  are  joined  together,  the 
knower  is  not  shaken. 
By  the  songs  to  this  world ;  by  the 
liturgies  to  the  middle  world ;  by 
the  chants  to  the  world  the  seers 
tell  of;  by  meditating  on  the 
mystic  Om,  the  wise  man  reaches 
that  peace,  unfading,  immortal, 
fearless,  supreme. 

And  so  Sukeshan  Bharadvaja 
asked  him:  Master,  the  Rajaputra, 
Hiranyanabha  Kausalya,  coming  to 
me,  asked  this  question:  Bharadvaja, 
knowest  thou  the  spirit  with  sixteen 
parts  ?  I  answered  the  youth :  I  know 
him  not ;  if  I  knew  him,  how  should 
I  not  tell  thee?  He  withers,  root 
and  all,  who  speaks  untruth ;  therefore 
I  deign  not  to  speak  untruth.  He, 


40 


silently,  entering  his  chariot,  departed.  A 

I  ask  thee  where  this  spirit  is.  ^ 

Aft 

He  answered  him:  Here,  venly, 
within  the  body,  dear,  is  that  spirit  in 
which  the  sixteen  parts  come  forth. 

He  said :  In  whose  going  out  shall 
I  go  out  ?  In  whose  resting  shall  I 
rest  firm  ?  He  put  forth  Life ;  and, 
from  Life,  faith,  the  shining  ether,  air, 
light,  the  waters,  and  the  power  of 
earth.  Then  mind  and  food,  and, 
from  food,  force  and  fervour,  the 
hymns,  the  words  of  action,  and  name 
in  the  worlds. 

And  as  these  rivers,  rolling  ocean- 
wards,  go  to  their  setting  on  reaching 
the  ocean,  and  their  name  and  form 
are  lost  in  the  ocean,  they  say.  So 
the  sixteen  parts  of  this  seer,  moving 
spiritwards,  on  reaching  spirit,  go  to 
their  setting ;  their  name  and  form  are 
lost  in  spirit,  they  say.  He  becomes 
one,  without  parts,  and  immortal. 

And  there  is  this  verse : 

In  whom  the  parts  are  fixed  like 
the  spokes  in  the  nave  of  a 
wheel;  knowing  that  knowable 
spirit,  let  not  death  disturb  you. 

He  said  to  them:  So  far  I  know 


4i 


A 

Vedic 
Master 


that  supreme  Eternal.  There  is 
nothing  beyond. 


Thou  art  our  father,  inasmuch  as 
thou  hast  made  us  cross  over  to  the 
further  shore  of  unwisdom,  said  they, 
honouring  him. 


III 

THAT  THOU  ART 


THAT  THOU  ART 


here  lived  once  Shvetaketu, 
Aruna's  grandson ;  his  fath- 
er addressed  him,  saying : 
Shvetaketu,  go,  learn  the  service  of 
the  Eternal ;  for  no  one,  dear,  of  our 
family  is  an  unlearned  nominal  wor- 
shipper. 

So  going  when  he  was  twelve  years 
old,  he  returned  when  he  was  twenty- 
four;  he  had  learned  all  the  teachings, 
but  was  conceited,  vain  of  his  learning, 
and  proud. 

His  father  addressed  him : 

Shvetaketu,  you  are  conceited,  vain 
of  your  learning,  and  proud,  dear; 
but  have  you  asked  for  that  teaching 
through  which  the  unheard  is  heard, 
the  unthought  is  thought,  the  un- 
known is  known  ? 

What  sort  of  teaching  is  that, 
Master?  said  he. 

Just  as,  dear,  by  a  single  piece  of 
clay  anything  made  of  clay  may  be 
known,  for  the  difference  is  only  one 
of  words  and  names,  and  the  real 


45 


thing  is  that  it  is  of  clay;  or  just  as, 
dear,  by  one  jewel  of  gold,  anything 
made  of  gold  may  be  known,  for  the 
difference  is  only  one  of  words  and 
names,  and  the  real  is  that  it  is  gold ; 
or  just  as,  dear,  by  a  single  knife- 
blade,  anything  made  of  iron  may  be 
known,  for  the  difference  is  only  one 
of  words  and  names,  and  the  real  is 
that  it  is  iron;  just  like  this  is  the 
teaching  that  makes  the  unknown 
known. 

But  I  am  sure  that  those  teachers 
did  not  know  this  themselves;  for  if 
they  had  known  it,  how  would  they 
not  have  taught  it  to  me?  said  he; 
but  now  let  my  Master  tell  it  to  me. 

Let  it  be  so,  dear;  said  he. 

In  the  beginning,  dear,  there  was 
Being,  alone  and  secondless.  But 
there  are  some  who  say  that  there 
was  non-Being  in  the  beginning,  alone 
and  secondless;  so  that  Being  would 
be  born  from  non-Being;  but  how 
could  this  be  so.  dear?  said  he;  how 
could  Being  be  born  from  non-Being  ? 
So  there  was  Being,  dear,  in  the 
beginning,  alone  and  secondless. 


46 


Then  Being  beholding  said:  Let  That 
me  become  great ;  let  me  give  birth.  ™™ 

Then  it  put  forth  Radiance. 

Then  Radiance  beholding  said :  Let 
me  become  great;  let  me  give  birth. 

Then  it  put  forth  the  Waters.  Just 
as  a  man  is  hot  and  sweats,  so  from 
radiance  the  waters  are  born. 

Then  the  Waters  beholding  said: 
Let  us  become  great;  let  us  give 
birth. 

They  put  forth  the  world-food. 
Just  as  when  it  rains  much  food  is 
produced,  so  from  the  Waters  the 
world-food  —  Earth  —  is  born. 

Of  all  these,  of  beings,  there  are 
three  germs :  what  is  born  of  the  Egg, 
what  is  born  of  Life,  what  is  born  of 
Division. 

That  power  —  Being  —  beholding 
said:  Let  me  enter  these  three 
powers  —  T^adiance,  Waters,  Earth  — 
by  this  life,  by  my  Self,  let  me  give 
them  manifold  forms  and  names. 
Let  me  make  each  one  of  them  three- 
fold, threefold. 

So  that  power  —  Being  —  entered 
those  three  powers  —  Radiance,  Wa- 
ters, Earth  —  by  this  life,  by  the  Self, 


47 


and  gave  them  manifold  forms  and 
names;  and  so  made  each  one  of 
them  threefold,  threefold.  And  now 
learn,  dear,  how  these  three  powers 
are,  how  each  one  of  them  becomes 
threefold,  threefold. 

In  fire,  the  radiant  form  is  from 
Radiance;  the  clear  form,  from  the 
Waters;  the  dark  form,  from  Earth. 
But  the  separate  nature  of  fire  is  a 
thing  of  names  and  words  only,  while 
the  real  thing  is  the  three  forms. 

So  of  the  sun,  the  radiant  form  is 
from  Radiance;  the  clear  form,  from 
the  Waters;  the  dark  form,  from 
Earth.  But  the  separate  nature  of 
the  sun  is  a  thing  of  names  and  words 
only,  while  the  real  thing  is  the  three 
forms. 

So  of  the  moon,  the  radiant  form  is 
from  Radiance ;  the  clear  form,  from 
the  Waters;  the  dark  form,  from 
Earth.  But  the  separate  nature  of 
the  moon  is  a  thing  of  names  and 
words  only,  while  the  real  thing  is  the 
three  forms. 

So  of  lightning,  the  radiant  form  is 
from  Radiance;  the  clear  form,  from 
the  Waters;   the  dark  form,  from 


48 


Earth.    But  the  separate  nature  of  That 
lightning  is  a  thing  of  names  and 
words  only,  the  real  thing  is  the  three 
forms. 

Therefore  of  old  time  those  who 
knew  this,  the  great  sages  and 
teachers  of  old,  spoke  thus:  None 
of  us  may  now  speak  of  anything  as 
unheard,  unthought,  unknown. 

For  by  these  three  forms  they  knew 
everything.  For  whatever  was  like 
radiant,  its  form  was  from  Radiance, 
they  said,  and  thus  knew  it.  And 
whatever  was  like  clear,  its  form  was 
from  the  Waters,  they  said,  and  so 
knew  it.  And  whatever  was  like 
dark,  its  form  was  from  Earth,  they 
said,  and  so  knew  it.  Thus  whatever 
was  known  they  took  to  be  a  union  of 
these  three  powers,  and  thus  they 
knew  it. 

But  how  these  three  powers  are, 
dear,  when  they  come  to  man,  how 
each  of  them  becomes  threefold,  this 
learn  from  me  now. 

Food  that  is  eaten  is  divided 
threefold.  Its  grossest  part  becomes 
waste ;  its  middle  part  becomes  flesh ; 
its  lightest  part  becomes  Mind. 


49 


That       Waters  that  are  drunk  are  divided 
Thou  threefold.    The  grossest  part  becomes 
waste;   the    middle    part  becomes 
blood;  the  lightest  part  becomes  vital 
Breath. 

Things  that  produce  radiant  heat, 
when  absorbed,  are  divided  threefold. 
The  grossest  part  becomes  bone ; 
the  middle  part  becomes  nerve; 
the  lightest  part  becomes  formative 
Voice. 

For  Mind,  dear,  is  formed  of  the 
world-food  —  Earth;  vital  Breath  is 
formed  of  the  Waters ;  formative 
Voice  is  formed  of  Radiance. 

Let  my  master  teach  me  further; 
said  he. 

Be  it  so,  dear;  said  he. 

Of  churned  milk,  dear,  the  lightest 
part  rises  to  the  top  and  becomes 
butter.  Just  so  of  eaten  food,  dear, 
the  lightest  part  rises  to  the  top  and 
becomes  Mind.  And  so  of  waters 
that  are  drunk,  the  lightest  part  rises 
to  the  top,  and  becomes  vital  Breath. 
And  so  when  heat-giving  things  are 
eaten,  the  lightest  part  rises  to  the 
top,  and  becomes  formative  Voice. 

For  Mind,  dear,  is  formed  of  Food ; 


50 


vital  Breath  is  formed  of  the  Waters ;  That 
formative  Voice  is  formed  of  Radiance.  T^°" 

Let  my  Master  teach  me  further; 
said  he. 

Be  it  so,  dear;  said  he. 


Man,  dear,  is  made  of  sixteen  parts. 
Eat  nothing  for  fifteen  days,  but  drink 
as  much  as  you  wish ;  for  vital  Breath, 
being  formed  of  the  W aters,  is  cut  off 
if  you  do  not  drink. 

He  ate  nothing  for  fifteen  days,  and 
then  returned  to  the  Master,  saying: 
What  shall  I  repeat,  Master? 

Repeat  the  songs  and  liturgies  and 
chants,  dear ;  said  he. 

None  of  them  come  back  into  my 
mind,  Master ;  said  he. 

He  said  to  him:  As,  dear,  after  a 
big  fire,  if  a  single  spark  remain,  as 
big  as  a  fire-fly,  it  will  not  burn  much  ; 
just  so,  dear,  of  your  sixteen  parts  one 
remains,  and  by  this  one  part  you 
cannot  remember  the  teachings. 
„  Go,  eat;  and  then  you  will  under- 
stand me. 

He  ate,  and  then  returned  to  the 
Master;  and  whatever  the  Master 
asked,  all  came  back  to  his  mind. 


51 


That  The  Master  said  to  him:  As,  dear, 
after  a  big  fire,  if  even  a  single  spark 
remain,  as  big  as  a  fire-fly,  and  if  it  be 
fed  with  straw,  it  will  blaze  up  and 
will  then  burn  much ;  just  so,  dear,  of 
your  sixteen  parts,  one  part  was  left ; 
and  this,  being  fed  with  food,  blazed 
up,  and  through  it  you  remembered 
the  teachings. 

For  Mind  is  formed  of  Food;  vital 
Breath  is  formed  of  the  Waters ;  form- 
ative Voice  is  formed  of  Radiance. 

Thus  he  learned;  thus,  verily,  he 
learned. 


runa's  son  Uddalaka  ad- 
dressed his  son  Shvetaketu, 
saying:  Learn  from  me, 
dear,  the  reality  about  sleep.  When 
a  man  sinks  to  sleep,  as  they  say, 
then,  dear,  he  is  wrapped  by  the  Real ; 
he  has  slipped  back  to  his  own.  And 
so  they  say  he  sleeps,  because  he  has 
slipped  back  to  his  own.  And  just  as 
an  eagle  tied  by  a  cord,  flying  hither 
and  thither,  and  finding  no  other 
resting  place,  comes  to  rest  where  he 
is  tied,  so  indeed,  dear,  the  man's 
Mind  flying  hither  and  thither,  and 


52 


finding  no  other  resting  place,  comes  That 
to  rest  in  vital  Breath;  for  Mind,  Th^ 
dear,  is  bound  by  vital  Breath. 

Learn  from  me,  dear,  the  meaning 
of  hunger  and  thirst.  When  a  man 
hungers,  as  they  say,  the  Waters 
guide  what  he  eats.  And  as  there  are 
guides  of  cows,  guides  of  horses, 
guides  of  men,  so  they  call  the 
Waters  the  guides  of  what  is  eaten. 
Thus  you  must  know,  dear,  that  what 
he  eats  grows  and  sprouts  forth  ;  and 
it  cannot  grow  without  a  root. 

And  where  can  the  root  of  what  he 
eats  be?  Where,  but  in  the  world- 
food  —  Earth  ? 

And  through  the  world-food  — 
Earth  —  that  has  sprouted  forth,  you 
must  seek  the  root,  the  Waters. 
And  through  the  waters  that  have 
sprouted  forth,  you  must  seek  the  root, 
Radiance.  And  through  Radiance 
that  has  sprouted  forth,  you  must 
seek  the  root,  the  Real.  For  all  these 
beings,  dear,  are  rooted  in  the  Real, 
resting  in  the  Real,  abiding  in  the 
Real. 

And  so  when  the  man  thirsts,  as 
they  say,  the  Radiance  guides  what 
he  drinks.    And  as  there  are  guides 


53 


That  of  cows,  guides  of  horses,  guides  of 
men,  so,  they  say,  the  Radiance  guides 
the  Waters.  Thus  you  must  know, 
dear,  that  what  he  drinks  grows  and 
sprouts  forth;  and  it  cannot  grow 
without  a  root. 

And  where  can  the  root  of  what 
he  drinks  be?  Where,  but  in  the 
Waters  ?  And  through  the  Waters 
that  sprout  forth,  you  must  seek  their 
root,  the  Radiance.  And  through  the 
Radiance,  dear,  that  sprouts  forth, 
you  must  seek  its  root,  the  Real.  For 
all  these  beings,  dear,  are  rooted  in 
the  Real,  resting  in  the  Real,  abiding 
in  the  Real.  And  how  these  three: 
the  world-food  —  Earth  —  the  Waters, 
Radiance,  coming  to  a  man,  become 
each  threefold,  threefold,  this  has 
been  taught  already. 

And  of  a  man  who  goes  forth, 
formative  Voice  sinks  back  into 
Mind;  Mind  sinks  back  into  vital 
Breath,  vital  Breath  to  Radiance,  and 
Radiance  to  the  higher  Divinity. 
This  is  the  soul,  the  Self  of  all  that 
is,  this  is  the  Real,  this  the  Self, 
That  thou  art,  O  Shvetaketu. 

Let  the  Master  teach  me  more ; 
said  he. 


54 


Let  it  be  so,  dear;  said  he.  That 

Thou 

As  the  honey-makers,  dear,  gather 
the  honey  from  many  a  tree,  and  weld 
the  nectars  together  in  a  single  nectar; 
and  as  they  find  no  separateness  there, 
nor  say :  Of  that  tree  I  am  the  nectar, 
of  that  tree  I  am  the  nectar.  Thus, 
indeed,  dear,  all  these  beings,  when 
they  reach  the  Real,  know  not,  nor 
say :  We  have  reached  the  Real.  But 
whatever  they  are  here,  whether  tiger 
or  lion  or  wolf  or  boar  or  worm  or 
moth  or  gnat  or  fly,  that  they  become 
again.  And  this  soul  is  the  Self  of  all 
that  is,  this  is  the  Real,  this  the  Self. 
That  thou  art,  O  Shvetaketu. 

Let  the  Master  teach  me  more; 
said  he. 

Let  it  be  so,  dear;  said  he. 

These  eastern  rivers,  dear,  roll 
eastward ;  and  the  western,  westward. 
From  the  ocean  to  the  ocean  they  go, 
and  in  the  ocean  they  are  united. 
And  there  they  know  no  separateness, 
nor  say :  This  am  I,  this  am  I.  Thus 
indeed,  dear,  all  these  beings,  coming 
forth  from  the  Real,  know  not,  nor 
say :  We  have  come  from  the  Real. 


55 


That  And  whatever  they  are  here,  whether 
Thou  t-  er  Qr  j-Qn  Qr  WQ|£  Qr  ^Qar  Qr  worm 

tArt      b  m 

or  moth  or  gnat  or  fly  or  whatever 

they  are,  that  they  become  again. 

And  that  soul  is  the  Self  of  all  that 

is,  this  is  the  Real,  this  the  Self. 

That  thou  art,  O  Shvetaketu. 

Let  the  Master  teach  me  more; 
said  he. 

Let  it  be  so,  dear;  said  he. 


If  any  one  strike  the  root  of  this 
great  tree,  dear,  it  will  flow  and  live, 
if  any  one  strike  the  middle  of  it,  it 
will  flow  and  live;  if  any  one  strike 
the  top  of  it,  it  will  flow  and  live.  So 
filled  with  Life,  with  the  Self,  drinking 
in  and  rejoicing,  it  stands  firm.  But 
if  the  life  of  it  leaves  one  branch,  that 
branch  dries  up;  it  leaves  a  second, 
that  dries  up;  it  leaves  a  third,  that 
dries  up;  it  leaves  the  whole,  the 
whole  dries  up.  Thus  indeed,  dear, 
you  must  understand ;  said  he.  When 
abandoned  by  Life,  verily,  this  dies; 
but  Life  itself  does  not  die.  For  that 
soul  is  the  Self  of  all  that  is,  this  is 
the  Real,  this  the  Self.  That  thou 
art,  O  Shvetaketu. 


56 


Let  the  Master  teach  me  more;  That 
said  he.  ™™ 
Let  it  be  so,  dear ;  said  he. 


Bring  me  a  fruit  of  that  fig-tree. 

Here  is  the  fruit,  Master. 

Divide  it  into  two;  said  he. 

I  have  divided  it,  Master. 

What  do  you  see  in  it  ?  said  he. 

Atom-like  seeds,  Master. 

Divide  one  of  them  in  two  ;  said  he. 

I  have  divided  it,  Master. 

What  do  you  see  in  it  ?  said  he. 

I  see  nothing  at  all,  Master. 

So  he  said  to  him  : 

That  soul  that  you  perceive  not  at 
all,  dear,  —  from  that  very  soul  the 
great  fig-tree  comes  forth.  Believe 
then,  dear,  that  this  soul  is  the  Self 
of  all  that  is,  this  is  the  Real,  this 
the  Self.  That  thou  art,  O 
Shvetaketu. 

Let  the  Master  teach  me  more; 
said  he. 

Let  it  be  so,  dear ;  said  he. 

Put  this  salt  in  water,  and  come  to 
me  early  in  the  morning. 

And  he  did  so,  and  the  Master  said 
to  him : 


57 


That  That  salt  you  put  in  the  water  last 
-Thou  night  —  bring  it  to  me !  And  looking 
for  its  appearance,  he  could  not  see  it, 
as  it  was  melted  in  the  water. 

Taste  the  top  of  it ;  said  he.  How 
is  it  ? 

It  is  salt ;  said  he. 

Taste  the  middle  of  it;  said  he. 
How  is  it  ? 

It  is  salt ;  said  he. 

Taste  the  bottom  of  it ;  said  he. 
How  is  it  ? 

It  is  salt ;  said  he. 

Take  it  away,  then,  and  return  to 
me. 

And  he  did  so ;  but  that  exists  for 
ever.    And  the  master  said  to  him : 

Just  so,  dear,  you  do  not  see  the 
Real  in  the  world.  Yet  it  is  here  all 
the  same.  And  this  soul  is  the  Self 
of  all  that  is,  this  is  the  Real,  this 
the  Self.  That  thou  art,  O 
Shvetaketu. 

Let  the  Master  teach  me  more; 
said  he. 

Let  it  be  so,  dear;  said  he. 

Just  as  if  they  were  to  blindfold  a 
man,  and  lead  him  far  away  from 
Gandhara,  and   leave   him   in  the 


58 


wilderness;  and  as  he  cried  to  the  That 
east  and  the  north  and  the  west :  I  am 
led  away  blindfolded;  I  am  deserted 
blindfolded.  And  just  as  if  one 
came,  and  loosing  the  bandage  from 
his  eyes,  told  him:  In  that  direction 
is  Gandhara;  in  that  direction  you 
must  go.  And  he  asking  from  village 
to  village  like  a  wise  man  and  learned, 
should  come  safe  to  Gandhara.  Thus, 
verily,  a  man  who  has  found  the  true 
Teacher,  knows.  He  must  wait  only 
till  he  is  free,  then  he  reaches  the 
resting-place.  And  that  soul  is  the 
Self  of  all  that  is,  this  is  the  Real, 
this  the  Self.  That  thou  art,  O 
Shvetaketu. 

Let  the  Master  teach  me  more; 
said  he. 

Let  it  be  so,  dear;  said  he. 

When  a  man  is  near  his  end,  his 
friends  gather  round  him :  Do  you 
know  me,  do  you  know  me  ?  they  say. 
And  until  formative  Voice  sinks  back 
into  Mind,  and  Mind  into  Breath,  and 
Breath  into  the  Radiance,  and  the 
Radiance  into  the  higher  Divinity,  he 
still  knows  them.  But  when  formative 
Voice  sinks  back  into  Mind,  and  Mind 


59 


That  into  Breath,  and  Breath  into  the 
Thou  Radiance,  and  the  Radiance  into  the' 
higher  Divinity,  he  knows  them  not. 
And  that  soul  is  the  Self  of  all  that  is, 
this  is  the  Real,  this  the  Self.  That 
thou  art,  O  Shvetaketu. 

Let  the  Master  teach  me  more; 
said  he. 

Let  it  be  so,  dear;  said  he. 

They  bind  a  man  and  bring  him: 
He  has  stolen,  they  say;  he  has  com- 
mitted theft.  Heat  the  axe  for  the 
ordeal:  and  if  he  is  the  doer  of  it, 
and  makes  himself  untrue ;  maintain- 
ing untruth,  and  wrapping  himself  in 
untruth,  he  grasps  the  heated  axe ;  he 
burns,  and  so  dies.  But  if  he  be  not 
the  doer  of  it,  he  makes  himself  true ; 
maintaining  truth,  and  wrapping  him- 
self in  truth,  he  grasps  the  heated 
axe;  he  burns  not,  and  so  goes  free. 
And  the  truth  that  saves  him  from 
burning  is  the  Self  of  all  that  is,  this 
is  the  Real,  this  the  Self.  That 
thou  art,  O  Shvetaketu. 

Thus  he  learned  the  truth ;  thus  he 
learned  it. 

\ 


f 


FOUR  HUNDRED  AND  FIFTY 
COPIES  OF  THIS  BOOK  (SEC- 
OND EDITION)  HAVE  BEEN 
PRINTED  ON  VAN  GELDER 
HAND -MADE  PAPER,  AND 
TYPE  DISTRIBUTED,  IN  THE 
MONTH  OF  SEPTEMBER,  A.  D. 
MDCCCXCIX,  AT  THE  PRESS  OF 
SMITH  &  SALE,  PORTLAND, 
MAINE. 


